Beadwork Fall 2021

After 25 years of publication, this is the final issue of Beadwork. But we aren’t going away! We’ll continue to curate new beading projects online. So many talented people have contributed to Beadwork through the years. As Interweave founder Linda Ligon has said, the magazine was born from a lunchtime brainstorming session fueled by creative passion. Its lifeblood is the committed readers and gifted contributors, along with the dedicated editors, designers, illustrators, photographers, marketers, and advertising teams. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed inspiration, innovation, and creativity to Beadwork. To celebrate two and a half decades of Beadwork, we asked this issue’s contributors to share their thoughts about the magazine (page 9). We’re also featuring as many projects as we could fit, with four new geometric-inspired projects and some of your…

1. Look at these gorgeous gemstone strands from Tejas Beads! From top to bottom: labradorite 10mm freeform discs, Pietersite 8mm rounds, Madagascar rose quartz 18x24mm rough nuggets, and natural Chevron amethyst sticks that range in size from 15 to 40mm. See hundreds more at www.tejasbeads.com. 2. Bohemian style meets modern chic! These raffia wrapped woven rattan beads and focals from Lima Beads are just what you need to make the perfect end-of-summer accessories. The 39–42mm donut-shaped focals are sold in 4-packs and you get six in a package of the large-hole 16x19–20mm beads. Shop the whole collection at www.limabeads.com. 3. SilverSilk founder Nealay Patel shared this beautiful necklace with us and we wanted to show you the possibilities. The unique elasticity of the knit lends a luxurious freeflowing feel to SilverSilk, while…

Beadwork began as a newsstand-only special issue in 1996 and has impacted many beaders’ journeys over the years. Whether you discovered it in your favorite bead shop or learned about it from a friend, you’ve told us that Beadwork has been your trusted companion. For this commemorative issue, we asked some of this issue’s contributors to share what Beadwork means to them. We’d love to hear from you, too. Email your comments to beadworkmag@goldenpeakmedia.com. BEING PART OF THE BEADWORK team in 2019 when I was a Designer of the Year was a tremendous honor for me. I loved the challenge of designing projects that would be interesting for people of all levels of beading ability to make and enjoy wearing. Over the past 24 years, the bi-monthly articles in Beadwork magazine…

USE “RICK-RACK” TECHNIQUES pioneered by Kate McKinnon and Jean Power of Contemporary Geometric Beadwork to create a zigzag base that you can reuse to make this playful bracelet over and over again. TECHNIQUES Right-angle weave variation Flat and tubular peyote stitch Herringbone stitch Picots PROJECT LEVEL MATERIALS 1 g gold galvanized permanent-finish size 15° seed beads (A) 1 g color of your choice (used for a temporary base) size 11° seed beads (B) 3 g color of your choice (used for a temporary base) size 11° cylinder beads (C) 2 g color of your choice (used for a temporary base) size 11° cylinder beads (D) 2 g mallard luster opaque size 11° cylinder beads (E) 1 g gilded teal size 11° cylinder beads (F) 1 g gold galvanized permanent-finish size 11° cylinder beads (G) 1 g matte metallic seafoam green size 11° cylinder beads (H) 1…

DIVE INTO DIMENSIONAL beadwork with a peyote-stitched frame enclosing a unique coin bead and a warped square that makes a really cool V-shaped bail. TECHNIQUES Peyote stitch Flat and tubular herringbone stitches Ladder stitch Stringing Crimping PROJECT LEVEL MATERIALS 6 g matte black size 8° seed beads (A) 4 g green Rembrandt opaque size 6° 3-cut seed beads (B) 4 g blue turquoise travertine size 6° 3-cut seed beads (C) 4 g lemon Rembrandt opaque size 6° 3-cut seed beads (D) 2 blue Rembrandt opaque size 6° 3-cut seed beads (E) 4 g dark coral red travertine opaque size 6° 3-cut seed beads (F) 3 g matte black size 11° cylinder beads (G) 3 g matte orange opaque size 11° cylinder beads (H) 3 g matte lime green opaque size 11° cylinder beads (J) 3 g matte red opaque size 11° cylinder beads (K) 1 crackle-finish black-and-white 14mm 2-hole…

THIS PLAYFUL GEOMETRIC cuff bracelet, inspired by the designer’s granddaughter’s love of the Baby Shark song, is made sturdy by hidden memory wire. TECHNIQUES Peyote stitch Herringbone stitch Cubic right-angle weave Square stitch variation PROJECT LEVEL MATERIALS 2 g silver permanent-finish size 15° seed beads (A) 2 g dark sea foam opaque size 11° Japanese cylinder beads (B) 4 g Mandarin orange opaque size 11° Japanese cylinder beads (C) 4 g dyed red opaque size 11° Japanese cylinder beads (D) 8 g matte metallic gray size 11° Japanese cylinder beads (E) 108 Siam AB 3mm crystal bicones (F) 9 Siam AB 4mm crystal bicones (G) 2 stainless steel 30×5mm slide end tubes 1 stainless steel 8×15mm lobster claw clasp 1" of stainless steel 4×5mm extender chain 1 stainless steel 6mm jump ring 1 red 1¾ " cotton tassel Smoke 6 lb FireLine braided beading thread 2 coils of silver bracelet memory…